Spirits of the Forest
by Lonepichu
Summary: Sometimes a simple mistake can affect the rest of your future.


Spirits of the Forest

DisclaimerI don't own pokemon or any related charcters. I do, however, own this idea. I got the idea when I was playing Pokemon Colloseum and one of the trainers had a Shiftry. The Shiftry looked like an evil wood troll from ancient Japan, or some place like that. Anyway, please read and let me know what ya think. I'm down rambling for now, so on with da fic!

A young boy stood in the middle of a vast forest, his light brown hair was full of twigs and leaves, as he had been climbing some of the nearby trees. He loved living in the forest, and he had even built a tree house in one of the trees. He loved the forest almost as much as he loved pokemon.

Just then, he heard a rustle in a nearby bush. He ran over and scanned it with his bright blue eyes and found a small Seedot was caught in the branches of the bush. The young boy, whose name was Danny, walked over to the small acorn-shaped pokemon and spoke to it softly. "Hey there little fellow."

The Seedot looked up at him in surprise and began struggling harder to escape the bush, but was just getting more stuck in the branches. "Dot, dot!" it yelled, but Danny placed a hand on it's head and began to stroke it. The small pokemon settled down, and began to purr slightly. Danny smiled at the Seedot.

"Don't worry little guy, I'll get you out." Danny gentley tugged on the Seedot so he wouldn't hurt it. Soon he tugged the pokemon free and set the Seedot on the forest floor. "You're free now." Danny said as he turned to leave. He soon heard little footsteps behind his. He turned and saw the Seedot cautously walking up to him.

"Seedot?" the small brown pokemon questioned. Danny smiled down at the Seedot and knelt down to it's level of view.

"Do you want to come with me?" Danny asked the Seedot. Seedot nodded it's head vigorously and it walked up to Danny. Danny patted the small pokemon's head as he smiled. "I don't have any pokemon, but I do have a poke'ball with me. Do you mind if I nick-name you Dots?" Danny asked. The Seedot, now named Dots, shook it's head happily. Danny grabbed a pokeball and set it down next to Dots. Dots pushed the button on the ball and was sucked inside. The pokeball gave no wiggle of protest.

Danny then picked up the ball and threw it, Dots appeared beside of Danny. Danny smiled, glad to have found a new friend.

That night, Danny entered the cabin that he and his mom and dad lived in. He took his backpack off and set it down, then he removed his boots and set them next to his backpack. He knelt down and removed the pokeball, which contained Dots, from his pack. He couldn't wait to show his parents the pokemon that he had captured.

He walked into the kitchen where his father was reading the newspaper and his mother was making dinner. He held the poke'ball behind his back as he approached his father. "Hey dad, guess what I did today." Danny said excitedly.

"What is it, son?" Danny's dad looked up at him as he folded the newspaper and put on the table in front of him.

"You know how I don't have a pokemon of my own? And you know how you got me that pokeball for my Birthday?" Danny brought the pokeball out from behind his back.

"Oh Danny, you caught a pokemon?" his mom said, she turned from the stove to face him.

"What rare pokemon did you catch?" his father asked. "Everyone in this family has started with a rare pokemon, I started with a rare Beldum." his father said as he glanced at the pokeball in Danny's hands.

"I started with a Dratini myself." his mom said as she walked over to the counter to chop some potatoes for the stew she was making. "And your older brother, Hunter, started with a Bagon."

"Let's see it." his father said as he leant back in his chair.

"Well, it may not be rare, but this pokemon is my friend. Come out Dots!" Danny shouted as he threw the pokeball to the kitchen floor. The small Seedot appeared on the floor, and looked around the kitchen. "What do you think?" Danny asked as he picked up Dots.

"That's the pokemon you caught?" Danny's father looked up at him. "A Seedot?"

"Why, Seedot are so common here in the forest." his mom went over and deposited the potatoes into the pot.

"I will not have any son of mine start with such a common pokemon. I just won't hear of it." his father stood up from the chair.

"Now Hal," Danny's mom began.

"No, Trish, I will not have Danny start with this common pokemon. Danny, go back into the forest and release that thing this instant." his father yelled as he pointed at the door.

"But," Danny tried to say.

"No buts." his father said. Danny looked up at his mom.

"Do as your father says." she sighed.

Danny felt his anger rise as he stomped outside, slamming the door behind him. He walked out into the forest and found the bush where he and Dots had first met. He took out the pokeball and set Dots down. "Dots, my friend, I can't keep you anymore. Please understand me." Danny's voice cracked as he felt tears come to his eyes. He took one last look at the small pokemon and couldn't stand to be there. He ran into the woods as the small Seedot watched him leave.

"Dot?" Seedot looked out into the woods. It was now alone and Seedot felt tears come to it's eyes. Seedot had heard from elders of it's species that humans weren't to be trusted, but it had put that aside when it had met the young boy who had helped it. Seedot closed it's eyes and cried out in sorrow. Never again would it make that same mistake, it would never trust humans again.

That night, Danny ran to his tree house and cried himself to sleep. He was awoken the next morning by a most peculiar sound. He looked out the window of the tree house and saw that the trees were glowing an odd color as well. He climbed down from the treehouse and looked around. Many pokemon were scurrying away through the forest. Danny walked in the direction from which the pokemon were scurrying from. The sound grew louder and the trees glowed brighter as he walked on.

He came to an odd relic in the forest, from which the sound and glowing were originating from. He saw a small circular light ring appear as a small green creature emerged from it. Danny stared in amazement as the pokemon held out it's arms and the glowing and noise came to an end. The pokemon opened it's big blue eyes and landed on the relic, tired.

Danny dared himself to approach the creature as it rested on the stone relic. The small creature was green in color and resembled a fairy. It had blue-tipped antenaes on it's head and small wings on it's back. Danny came to it, and when the reature saw Danny, it shreiked "Cel bii!"

"Pokemon, I won't hurt you." Danny said as the creature eyed him warily. It flew off of the tall stone relic and flew over to Danny.

"Celibi." it said plainly. It flew around him a few times, as if investigating him, then came to a stop and hovered a few inches from him.

"Celibi, that's what you said. Are you the forest gaurdian, THE Celebi?" Danny asked the creature in excitement. Celebi shook it's head in response. "Wow, Celebi, I've heard stories about you, but I never believed that a real Celebi lived in this forest."

Celebi cocked it's head to the side as it looked at Danny. Something about him made Celebi stay, when it would have usually flown away. It couldn't understand some human, but certain words jumped out, including one that the boy had just spoken. "I'm sure my parents would let me capture a Celebi."

"Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Celebi shouted, prepairing to fly away.

"Don't worry, I won't capture you. I was just thinking aloud because my parents wouldn't let me keep a Seedot." Danny became sad as he remembered his little pokemon. Celebi flew over to Danny and put a hand on his shoulder. Danny smiled, and the two became fast friends. In the years that followed, Celebi and Danny grew closer, and the capture of Celebi was never mentioned again.

15 years later 

Ash sighed as he walked through the forest, and ran a hand through his black, spikey hair. His brown eyes scanned the area, but it was pointless. He had no idea where he and his two friends were. Misty, an orange haired girl with eyes the color of the sea, who was around the age of Ash, walked up beside him.

"So, Ash, which way do we go now?" Misty said as she adjusted the strap of her backpack. She looked at Ash, who was wearing a look of confusion upon his face, and sighed. "Don't tell me, we're lost again aren't we?"

"We're not lost Misty." Ash told her.

"Okay, then would you be so kind as to tell me where we are?" Misty asked him.

"We're in a forest." He replied. Misty face-faulted to the ground.

"I can see that!" she yelled as she picked herself off the ground.

"Calm down Misty, I have the map." Brock, a tall, tan, squinty-eyed teen said from behind her. Brock was the eldest of the three, so he usually was the one to carry the map.

"Really? Then tell us where to go from here." Misty said hopefuly. The three had been traveling through the forest all day long, and Misty really didn't feel like camping out in a forest tonight. Especially one where bug pokemon were certain to claim it as their home.

"Lets see," Brock held the map in front of him. Ash and Misty watched as he traced his finger across the page and mumble to himself. He turned the map around, then he held it sideways. Finally he folded the map back up and placed it into his backpack.

"Well?" Ash and Misty asked as they watched their older friend put his backpack back on his back.

"It's clear to me now that we are..."

"YES?"

"Completly lost." Brock told the two, who had just face-faulted in front of him.

"Ya think?" Misty replied rudley. She turned around and sighed. "I really don't want to be in this forest tonight, I'm tired of camping out in forests." It was early evening and the sun was low in the sky, however the sun was not quite ready to turn it's duties over to the moon just yet.

"Don't worry Misty, we'll ask for directions." Ash said as he continued forward and the others reluctantly followed.

"From what, a tree?" Misty mumbled under her breath.

"What did ya say, Misty?" Ash asked her.

"Nothing, but I was wondering who are we going to ask in the middle of a forest?" Misty asked.

"The forest ranger, of course." Ash said as he ran to a building that was in the clearing ahead of them, and which Misty didn't see before. Misty chose not to say anything.

Ash ran to a small wooden cabin that had little square windows, and vines growing on some parts of the building. On the front of the building was a sign that declared this to be the rangers cabin. Ash walked up to the door and knocked loudly. The three could hear footsteps from inside and soon the door creaked open. A man in his mid-twenties with brown hair and blue eyes stood before the three, running a hand through his messy hair. In his hair were odd bits of twigs and leaves, as if he had gotten bits of the forest stuck in it.

"What can I help you three with?" the ranger asked.

"Well, sir..." Ash began untill the ranger interupted him.

"Please, call me Danny."

"Okay, Danny, me and my two friends are lost, and we were wondering if you could tell us how to get out of these woods." Ash told Danny.

"Well, first, tell me where you're headed."

"Fortree city."

"Okay, it's straight ahead. How about I help lead you through the forest, I've been around these woods all my life and I know this place like the back of my hand." Danny offered.

"That'd be great, Danny." Ash said. Danny came out and closed and locked the door behind him. Danny began forward and motioned for them to follow. So it was then that the four began their way through the forest.

Ash and friends had soon became well acquinted with Danny as they traveled through the forest. Danny had shared most of his journey with them and how he had never caught a pokemon of his own. When suddenly, the group heard an odd noise.

"Uh-oh, this is not good." Danny said as he looked at the tree tops.

"What is it?" Misty asked him, when the four heard cackling laughter above them. Then, a faint bittersweet tone floated down upon the group. Ash felt sleepy, untill he heard Danny shouting out "Don't listen to the tone, cover your ears!"

The group did as instructed, and soon the sound died down. "What was that?" Ash asked Danny.

"Grass whistle, an attack that puts people to sleep with an odd tone. Grass whistle is also a special technique of the Shiftry." Danny said in a serious tone.

Before Ash could inquire further, three brown colored pokemon leaped down from one of the trees. The pokemon had long, pointed noses and great silver colored hair covering their heads and flowing down their backs. The pokemon also had leaves for hands and balanced themselves on the longer midsection of their feet.

Ash brought out his pokedex to find out what these pokemon were. "Shiftry: the wicked pokemon. This pokemon lives in trees deep withen forests. If it feels threatened, it will use the leaves on it's hands as fans to blow gusts of wind at over 100 mph. This pokemon is also known to harm humans when it enters fits of rage."

Ash looked up at the three Shiftry, who's eyes were glowing red, and shivered invoulintarily shivered. "Those Shiftry look like their enraged right now." Ash said as he took a step back.

"Don't worry, the forest's gaurdian will protect us." Danny said as he grinned at Ash. Danny then pulled a small flute-like instroment out of his pocket and began to blow into it. The music was carried by the wind, and Ash saw the Shiftry look around themselves in an uneasy manner.

When Danny stoped playing, all that could be heard was the wind blowing. The Shiftry huddled closley together as the wind stopped abruptly.

"What's going on?" Ash asked Danny.

"You'll see." Danny turned as a small green fairy pokemon flew up beside of him and touched his check. Danny smiled as the pokemon began to fly around his head. "Guys, this is Celebi." Danny said, motioning towards the little pokemon.

"Celebi?" the group said in confusion.

"Yes, Celebi. This little pokemon has been my friend for a long time." Danny told the group, then he turned to Celebi and said "These Shiftry are causing trouble again."

Celebi nodded it's head and it began to glow a light blue color. The Shiftry also began to glow along with Celebi. Celebi began to hum and the Shiftry grew small and began to change shape. Then Celebi stopped huming and the glow that had surrounded it faded away, as it did with the other three pokemon. What had been Shiftry were now Seedot and the Seedot did not seem happy about being de-voulved.

"What happened? I've never seen a pokemon un-evolve before!" Misty exclaimed in surprise.

"Celebi controls time and Celebi can reverse time just for certain people, or in this case, pokemon. Celebi was able to reverse time to before those pokemon had evolved." Danny explained.

Then, the cry of another Shiftry was heard, this one was slightly bigger then the three that had prevously stood before the group. This one also had a leaf missing on it's right hand. The Shiftry stood upon a tree branch high above their heads as it sneered down at them.

"Dots, why did you send those Shiftry after us? I've told you before that my father forbade me from capturing you." Danny called up to the Shiftry upon the branch. (Author note: In case you ppl didn't know, this Danny is the boy from the begining of the fic, but I'm sure ya ppl already knew that.)

The Shiftry looked down at Danny and sneered, staring at him. Celebi looked up at the Shiftry and landed on the ground. Danny sighed as he and the pokemon stared at each other. "Dots." Danny said sadly.

"Try Shiftry." Shiftry aka Dots said. Celebi nodded it's head as it looked up at Danny.

"It always says the same thing when it sees me, but what does that mean?" Danny asked no one inparticular.

"Try Shiftry." Dots said one more time before it leaped through the trees, and soon was out of sight.

As it turns out, the forest was bigger then it looks and soon night had fallen. Danny had apoligized to the group about having them camp out in the forest. He brought out his Tent and began setting it up as Brock began to prepare dinner. Meanwhile, Ash and Misty were out gathering fire wood.

"I do NOT want to camp out in another stupid forest." Misty thought to herself as she and Ash searched the forest undergrowth for sticks and kindle for the fire.

"Misty, don't move." Ash said slowly.

"Why?" Misty asked confused.

"Don't look now, but there's a humongus Wurmple behind you, and a small Caterpie by your foot." Ash said quietly.

Misty jumped up and screamed, running behind Ash. "Ash, do something!" she yelled.

Instead of helping her, she heard him giggle. Soon his giggles turned into belly-shaking laughter as he fell to the ground and clutched his sides. "And just what is so funny?" Misty asked him angrely.

"You fell for it, there is no Wurmple or Caterpie." Ash laughed.

Just as Misty was about to give Ash the mallet-beating of his life, he stopped laughing and looked up at Misty, pointing to something behind her. "What now?" Misty asked with frustration.

"Beedrill!" Ash shouted as he scrambled to his feet and began to run.

"Like I'm gonna believe that." Misty said as she turned around and was met with a whole swarm of Beedrills with their stingers raised. Misty screamed and began to run after Ash, the Beedrill in hot pursuit.

"Pikachu, I need ya buddy." Ash said as he realised a Pikachu from it's pokeball. (It stays in there now) "Use Shockwave on those Beedrill!" he called. Pikachu jumped into the air and shocked the Beedrill into unconciosness. Pikachu landed on the ground and gave Ash the "V for victory" sign with it's right paw. "Thank you Pikachu."

"Pika pi, pikachu."

"Thanks Pikachu, but no thanks to you Ash." Misty grumped.

"Sorry, but I couldn't resist." Ash sighed.

"Well, let's finish collecting firewood so Brock can cook our dinner." Misty said as she began to gather some sticks.

"Yeah, dinner, how could I forget that." Ash said as his stomach rumbled.

"sigh Hopeless." Misty said quietly.

Ash and Misty had returned with the firewood and Brock got the fire started, then he put the food on the fire to cook.

"It should be ready in thirty minutes." Brock said as he stirred the contents of the stew pot.

"Thirty minutes!" Ash shouted as his stomach gurgled. "I can't wait that long."

"Find some way to pass the time." Brock said.

"Pikapika pikapi." Pikachu said while patting Ash on the shoulder.

"Yeah, maybe." Ash replied.

"PI kaaaa. Pikapi."

Ash nodded his head in reply. Danny had been watching the conversation between these two in intreast. He had never seen a trainer understand his own pokemon so well. "Hey Ash." Danny called.

"Yes?"

"How do you and Pikachu understand each other so well?" Danny asked in curiosity.

"Well, me and Pikachu have known each other for a long time. At first, I couldn't understand Pikachu at all, then as I got to know Pikachu and as our friendship grew, I could understand." Ash said as he and Pikachu smiled at each other.

"I wish I had gotten to know Dots better, maybe I would be able to understand what it's trying to tell me." Danny sighed as he looked at the flames of the campfire. A wonderful aroma was starting to make it's self known and Ash's stomach rumbled loudly.

"Well, Pokemon speech is not like words, like we speak, it's more like an emotion. Like a loud tone can mean anger or excitement, and a soft tone could mean eithar sadness or shyness. Just listen to the pokemon's speech with your heart and you'll understand." Ash said as he patted Pikachu's head.

"Makes sense, I'll have to listen with my heart the next time I see Dots." Danny thought aloud.

"Okay guys, stew is ready!" Brock shouted. Ash jumped into the air in glee as Brock began serving the stew to those gathered at the fire.

The next morning, the group woke up and after a quick breakfast, began to head out. The morning sun was shining through the tops of the trees, and Danny closed his eyes in contentment as the sun rays warmed his face.

"It shouldn't be much longer before we reach the end to these forests, about only two hours at the most." Danny replied as he looked back down at the trail.

"Alright! I'm sick of this forest, and maybe tonight I can sleep in a nice warm bed!" Misty exclaimed.

The four suddenly heard a familiar sound. "Cover your ears!" Danny yelled. Ash, Misty, and Brock quickly moved thier hands to their ears to drown out the whistleing noise. This time, instead of three Shiftry, the group found themselves surrounded by hundreds of the creatures.

"Dots has brought it's whole tribe this time." Danny said in a worried tone.

A lone Shiftry jumped down from the forest canopy and landed in front of the group. It looked at Danny and repeated "Try shiftry."

The other Shiftry could be heard shifting unpatienly from foot to foot. Dots turned it's head and called something to them. The Shiftry stopped their restless moving and backed slightly away from the group.

Dots looked into Danny's eyes intently. Dot's face was fierce looking, but Danny stared back without looking away. They stood that way for awhile untill Dots said once more "Try shiftry."

Danny heard the words echo through his mind. He closed his eyes and listened to them. "Try shiftry. Try shiftry. Try aftry. Try aftrn. Try agian."

Danny opened his eyes abruptly and shouted "Try again, you want me to try again!" Dots nodded it's head and called to the other Shiftry. They retreated into the depths of the forest.

"Try shiftry." Dots looked at Danny and threw something at his feet. Danny picked it up and recognized the item as an acorn.

"You want me to go back to when we first met, when you were a Seedot?" Danny asked. Shiftry nodded it's head. Danny smiled and brought the time flute out from his pack and blew it to summon Celebi.

"Guys, continue forward, make no turns what-so-ever and you shall reach Fortree." Danny told them. Ash nodded his head and soon he, Misty, and Brock disappeared from Danny's sight.

Celebi flew beside of Danny with a questioning look in it's eyes. "Celebi, I need you to transport me to the night before we met. I have something I need to do." Danny said, glancing over at Dots.

"Bi biiiiiiiiiiiii" Celebi shouted as it's eye's glowed. Danny laso flet his body glow, and soon all went dark for him.

"What rare pokemon did you catch?" his father asked. "Everyone in this family has started with a rare pokemon, I started with a rare Beldum." his father said as he glanced at the pokeball in Danny's hands.

"I started with a Dratini myself." his mom said as she walked over to the counter to chop some potatoes for the stew she was making. "And your older brother, Hunter, started with a Bagon."

"Let's see it." his father said as he leant back in his chair.

"First I have to tell you something." ten-year-old Danny told his father.

"What is it, son?" his father asked him.

"I know that you and Mom and Hunter all started with rare pokemon, but the one I caught isn't rare. I don't want a rare pokemon, I want my pokemon to be my friend, and the one I caught is my friend, even if it is common." Danny said, then he threw the pokeball that contained his Seedot, Dots.

"Seedot are common in this forest." his father said.

"I know, but this is the pokemon I want to start with, if it's okay with you two." Danny said hopefully.

"What do you think, dear?" Danny's father asked Danny's mother.

"If it's what he wants to start with, it's okay with me."

"Then that Seedot is now your pokemon." Danny's father said as he picked up his newspaper and continued reading the article in it titled, "Time travel, is it possible?"

"Sorry to disturb you, sir, but me and my friends are lost and we were wondering if you could help us." Ash asked the forest ranger.

"Please, call me Danny." Danny said as a Shiftry bounded next to him with a smile upon it's face. "This is my Shiftry, Dots."

"Were heading to Fortree, can you help us?" Ash asked.

"Sure, Ash, right this way." Danny said as he and Dots lead the way into the forest.

"Wait a minute, how'd you know my name was Ash?"

Fin 

So, what did ya guys think? Review please and let me know what you think. My email is: Thanks for reading, and untill next time,

This is the Lonepichu signing off. 


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